![]() ![]() In 1953, he recorded and had a two-sided hit with Strange Things Are Happening/The Ho Ho Song, with both sides/songs essentially being the same. It was the #11 show in prime time in 1952. ![]() In 1952, Buttons received his own variety series on television, The Red Buttons Show, which ran for three years on CBS. He also performed at Broadway movie houses with big bands. Buttons also entertained troops in the European Theater in the same Jeep Show unit as Mickey Rooney.Īfter the war, Buttons continued to do Broadway shows. ![]() Zanuck's movie version of Winged Victory, directed by George Cukor. Buttons was on stage when the show was raided.ĭrafted into the United States Army Air Forces, Buttons in 1943 appeared in the Army Air Forces' Broadway show Winged Victory, along with several future stars, including Mario Lanza, John Forsythe, Karl Malden and Lee J. This was the last classic Burlesque show in New York City history, as the Mayor La Guardia administration closed it down. Later that year, he appeared in the Minsky's show Wine, Women and Song. In September 1942, Buttons made his Broadway debut in Vickie with Ferrer and Uta Hagen. In later years, Buttons would joke that the Japanese only attacked Pearl Harbor to keep him off Broadway. It never did, as it was deemed inappropriate after the Japanese attack. The show was a farce set in Pearl Harbor, and it was due to open on December 8, 1941. In 1939, Buttons started working for Minsky's Burlesque in 1941, José Ferrer chose Buttons to appear in a Broadway show The Admiral Had a Wife. ![]() Buttons was working at the Irvington Hotel in South Fallsburg, New York, when the Master of Ceremonies became incapacitated, and he asked for the chance to replace him. Later that same summer, Buttons worked on the Borscht Belt his straight man was Robert Alda. The combination of his red hair and the large, shiny buttons on the bellhop uniforms inspired orchestra leader Charles "Dinty" Moore to call him "Red Buttons," the name under which he would later perform. At sixteen years old, Chwatt got a job as an entertaining bellhop at Ryan's Tavern in City Island, Bronx. Red Buttons was born Aaron Chwatt on February 5, 1919, in New York City, to Jewish immigrants Sophie (née Baker) and Michael Chwatt. ![]()
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